The present invention relates generally to kitchen appliances and, more particularly, to a combination electric can opener and organizer designed for ease of use and to provide the user with a number of advantageous features set forth below.
Separately, can openers and so-called organizers for kitchen utensils and gadgets are well known. Can openers may be manually operated or automatic (for example, electric driven). Can openers also have been previously designed in a number of shapes and sizes.
Kitchen organizers also have been designed in a multitude of shapes and sizes.
Kitchen organizers seek to organize and store typical kitchen utensils such as spatulas, wooden spoons, etc., in an efficient manner.
Both electric can openers and kitchen organizers are used in countless homes throughout the world. Unfortunately, these devices require critical countertop space. Thus, there is a need to provide devices that carry out the functions of can openers and kitchen organizers that, at the minimum, require substantially less space than would otherwise be needed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combined electric can opener and organizer that overcomes the shortcomings of existing can openers and kitchen organizers.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener/organizer that utilizes less space than required by current devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a can opener/organizer that has various other advantageous features not currently provided.
Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a combination electric can opener and organizer is provided that includes a container having front, rear and two side surfaces, an electric can opener assembly disposed at or near the front surface of the container for opening a can, an indentation at a side surface for defining a storage area, and a utensil holder disposed on the side surface to hold a utensil within the defined storage area.
As an aspect of the invention, the side surface is adjacent to and extends from the front surface at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees.
As another aspect of the invention, the can opener and organizer combination includes a substantially oval top and a substantially oval base that extend over and below the storage area.
As a further aspect of the invention, both side surfaces are within indentations that define two storage areas, with each storage area including a respective utensil holder for holding utensils.
As an additional aspect of the invention, each side surface is adjacent to and extends from the container""s front surface at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees.
As yet another aspect, the rear surface of the container is curved to match the contour of the oval shape of the top and base.
As yet a further aspect, the container includes a cavity, open at the top, that defines a storage compartment for holding tools, and the cavity""s rear surface is curved to match the contour of the oval shape of the top and base.
As yet an additional aspect, the cavity is disposed at the rear of the container.
As a feature of this aspect, the cavity has a height extending from the top of the container to the base of the container, and the can opener assembly is adapted to accommodate and open a can with a height substantially equivalent to the height of the cavity.
As another feature, the can opener assembly includes a cutting lever that extends alongside the container""s front surface and shaped to follow the oval shape of the container""s top.
As a further feature, the container""s top has a curved top surface, and the cutting lever has an end that follows the contour of the curved top surface.